WYEP's Schenley Plaza concert series features These United States

Swimming in Lake Michigan, These United States' lead singer Jesse Elliott almost drowned, before dragging himself out of the great lake. Now, he's used the near-death experience as the backbone of the band's new album, ominously titled, What Lasts. His traumatic experience is evident right from What Lasts' watery packaging: The front illustration shows a horizon over a lake, and inside are sketches of the band in the same blue colors, looking a bit like grungy mermaids.

What Lasts shows a darker side of These United States, usually a more poppy and energetic band. Most songs reflect Elliott's troubling experience in the lake, or at least reference death or large bodies of water; in "Nobody Can Tell," for example, Elliott sings, "I sunk, and I swam, and I laughed, and I swam. I still swim."

Musically, These United States take a moody turn -- more toward Connor Oberst's style -- on tracks like "Dug Him in the Dirt." At other times, Elliott's coarse voice sounds more like a modern Neil Young or even a bit like Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock (but with less screaming). With vocals backed by acoustic guitars, What Lasts is a mellow, yet dynamic album that seems like a natural transition from the faster pace of previous albums, like Everything Touches Everything.

This Friday, These United States will bring their watery woes to Schenley Plaza as part of a free outdoor concert series sponsored by WYEP 91.3 FM.

These United States at WYEP Final Fridays. 7 p.m. Fri., Aug. 27. Schenley Plaza, Oakland. Free. All ages. 412-381-9131 or www.wyep.org